The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-24
THE BIRTH OF A NEW RACE.
A Promising Place to study Babit

O@AN%OAA-ss
New YORK, Oct 22,-Verily, Madison
and Chatham squares are as far apart as
are the poles, yet both are in New York. |
never could understand how any man inter
ested in his kind, and especially baby kind,
could systematically pass by the lower end
of the Bowery to bask in the human nature
which finds expression at the lower end OF
Madison avenue.
Anybody who wants to study babies seems
to turn instinctivelv toward Madison
square 1t is the Mecca of the well to-do
infant and the gossip ground of the nurse
employed by the gladstone parents OF the
well-to-do infant. But | never seek there
the study of the diminutive and really
American. He is monotonously similar
there. the precocious product of pompouS
and purse-proud parents. Beneath the fall
ing leaves of autumn these infants ganbol
ON the green-some of them will do the
same later in life with more varying results
| but their charms are not for me. 1t is my
custom of an afternoon to pass through both
quarters in my long stroll up town from
business, and Chatham square-as to ba
| bies, as well as other necessary and unnec'
essary evilS-poSseSses more charm tc
the inch for the student of life i'll big
city than any two of the SWEETEST spots IL
| New York
The puller in for Arabian, Isaacs' and
| Jacobs clothing emporiums know me; my
face is familiar also to the gentleman who
sings the praises of the dime museum, and
he whom the police call the fakir | pass
unmolested and obServant, and seldom does
| the journey end without some incident
worthy of reflection.
The other day had just turned into the
square ana had passed Mott street, when a
cOmmotion short distance in advance at
| tracted my attention. The Heterogeneous
mob of pedestrians were collecting about
some moving object.
Hurry up, Sally, let'ssee its face, shout
ed very dirty little girl of 10, whose frowsy
red hair and treckled face brushed against
my arm A dozen of the assorted babies OF
the block-some of them with faces double
the age of their bodies-were making for
the centre of attraction, and followed their
example.
Can you guess what caused such a passing
sensation--for nothing short of fire causes
more on the Bowery! One poor little Chi
nese baby of two celestial summers, who
toddled along the walk with his tiny fist
holding hard the hand of a Chinaman whose
native dress indicated that he was well-to
do The little one was attired in a com
promise between New Y ork and China
with trousers and jacket and a fancy tur-
| ban was on his head. A wonderfully bright
face it was that gazed up stolidly at the GU
rious crowd, and accepted rough endeavors tC
careSs with all the serenity of wooden
| image Curious to know who the swell
youthful heather might be, | Intercepted
| his guardian in my very best Chinese, and
was informed that Tom Lee, famous as the
only Deputy Sheriff of his race in New
York, was the father.
Now. | knew Tom, who is a clever fellow
and opulent withal, and the proprietor of {
pretentious grocery at the corner OF Mott
street and the Bowery. | knew, too, that
there was a Mrs. Tom, who was not Chi
nese so | was puzzled to account for the
true features of the boy, and determined tC
paw the lady an afternoon call at once anC
clear the matter up.
She happened to be visiting [ was in
formed at the cigar store of a friend few
doors deeper into Chinatown. This shop
| which was very neat, was decorated on one
| side with a Cinnamon nursing black eye
on a soap box, and on the other with an or.
binary cigar case. Behind the latter sat 8
rather pretty woman with German fea
lures, busily engaged in knitting and look
ing so neat and comfortable that it was
quite impossible to address her without Int
ing my hat
Il beg pardon, madam, "'saidI ''but an
looking for the wife of Tom Lee"
mo, you're looking at her, sir" was the
smiling response.
! "Indeedr'
NV evident admiration and the purchase
| of &c. cigar for 15c. placed me at once up
on an easy and chatty footing, and l related
to her the sensation caused by her young
sters afternoon promenade.
''Oh, yes" she said, they always follow
him"
but how is it that he has such Chinese
features"
''rn sure 1 don't know. l have had
| four children since l married Tom, and all
| looked like their father. Two of them are
dead"
''Does Chinaman make a good hus-
bandp
The little woman's answer was empha
tic.
"Well, I.wouldn't want to change my
husband He's always kind to me, and wher
| want thing / have only to ask him and
he gets it for me-"
married to Chinamanm
about fifty, guess. You see there are
about 5000 Cnlnaman in the city, and only
a very few Chinese women. Babies. Oh
well there are about 300 from the mixed
marriages, but, all that | have seen have
the features of the father. OF course you
don't often see them ON the street. Why
because they draw a crowd, and it ISM
pleasant for the Chinaman who has them il
charge. You can find them, down through
this Street, though, if you know where t
look. Good day, sir. If my baby is still
on the Bowery tell him TO come home"
couldn't help thinking as | strolled on
what new and strange conditions the prog
ress of the Chinaman here has evolved
and what startling thing it would be if al
these Chinese babies were simultaneously
deDosit d in Madison Square. Yet her,
they live their little daily lives among us
and few Of us are the wiser.
| was so absent-mlnded that evening thai
| gave Mrs. Tom Lees cigar to an acquaint
ance against whom harbored gruage.
g. H FLEMING,